Update: ‘We had no idea what we were running towards’ message from sergeant injured in Manchester Victoria attack

A British Transport Police (BTP) sergeant who was injured during the incident at Manchester Victoria station at New Year's Eve has spoken about his experience.

Sergeant Lee Valentine, and three other BTP officers, were the first at the scene of the horrific attack and detained a man.

Sergeant Lee Valentine said: “The past 48 hours have been overwhelming. My team and I are grateful to everyone who sent in messages of support – it really does mean the world to us. We had no idea what we were running towards when we heard the screams on New Year’s Eve. When we saw the man wielding a knife, instinct took over and we were able to, in company with Travel Safe Officers from Metrolink, successfully detain the male.”

Speaking about the attack, BTP’s Chief Constable, Paul Crowther, said: “This horrific incident underlines the bravery of our officers, who selflessly ran towards danger to help keep the public safe.

“As the first officers on the scene, their quick-thinking and outstanding response helped to prevent more passengers being hurt and stands as a testament to the Force.

“Whilst this incident is an example of policing at its finest it also serves as a dark reminder of policing at its most dangerous. In their efforts to detain the suspect, one of our officers suffered a stab injury to his shoulder. I have met with the officer today, along with his colleagues, and I am both humbled and full of admiration at their tenacity and dedication.

“Understandably, incidents of this nature are likely to cause concern, but I would like to reassure the public they are incredibly rare and we have officers on duty throughout the rail network.

“In the meantime, we’d ask the public to remain vigilant and report any concerns by texting us discreetly on 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40.”

Sergeant Valentine has given consent only for his name to be released. We would politely request that media outlets do not publish images of Sergeant Valentine.